Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Heaven’s Door (12)

***

“What?”

“That outfit. Take it off.”

Jin Yeseo, doubting her ears, asked again, but the masked boy repeated himself in a calm voice.

Jin Yeseo felt her breath quicken.

Finally, he was revealing the sinister fangs he had been hiding.

Of course, she hadn’t completely ruled out the possibility of such a situation.

Even though they shared a secretive daily life, Jin Yeseo and the boy stood in completely different positions. She had no choice but to be dragged along by his lead.

In this relationship, it was always her who was at a disadvantage.

Moreover, she was well aware of his violent nature. She had experienced it firsthand, and the evaluations of those around him weren’t much different.

There were even rumors at the beginning of the semester that he had threatened an innocent brown-haired girl from the outskirts and made her his lackey.

Naturally, Jin Yeseo had prepared various logical arguments in advance, just in case he ever tried to extend his claws toward her.

After all, a talented female mage was a person of great value.

But to have such a sudden, unreasonable demand, even in a secluded alleyway, and with the sun not yet fully set…

‘This… this can’t be his true intention, right? Is he trying to train me to his liking? To clearly show his dominance in this relationship…? I read about this in a psychology book… First, make an unreasonable demand, then slowly…’

“W-wait a minute…”

“Hey. I told you we don’t have time. What are you doing?”

“Ugh…”

Jin Yeseo’s eyes wavered, unable to focus. The arrogant demeanor she had shown earlier when dealing with the thugs was nowhere to be found.

She was now clearly positioned at the bottom of the food chain they had established between them.

“Even so, in a place like this…”

“Ugh, seriously… What kind of idiot walks around the slums dressed like that?”

“Huh…?”

Just as Jin Yeseo was about to resign herself and nervously reached for the top button of her shirt, she heard his irritated voice and let out a dumbfounded groan.

Slowly, she lifted her head.

The boy in the gas mask was lightly pressing his hand to his forehead, as if he had a headache.

“I told you we’re heading to the slums. It’s not like you’re advertising for trouble…”

It was only then that Jin Yeseo understood what he meant.

“But… I brought the shabbiest clothes I own…”

“You clearly don’t know the standard of living in the slums. That won’t do.”

“But… I can’t just take off my clothes. They don’t walk around in their underwear either…”

“Who said you had to strip completely? Obviously, I only meant the outer layer. I even pointed at it.”

Realizing her misunderstanding, Jin Yeseo’s face turned bright red, and she shouted in embarrassment.

“Hey! Then say it properly! If you just tell someone to take off their clothes out of nowhere, who wouldn’t…!”

“Shouldn’t you have understood that much? Just hurry up and take it off. We’re already late. If we delay any longer, it’ll be night by the time we arrive.”

“Ugh…”

Jin Yeseo’s protest faded away like a weak echo. Reluctantly, she put down her bag and, with a sulky expression, started to take off her outer garment.

Even that felt immensely humiliating and degrading.

The boy took the coat she handed him, tore it to shreds, and threw it on the ground. Then, he stomped on it several times until it was nothing but rags.

The tattered coat, now covered in dirt and dust, was handed back to Jin Yeseo.

Seeing her wear the filthy garment, the boy nodded.

“Now you look the part.”

“Ugh…”

Jin Yeseo let out a small groan, her voice filled with humiliation.

She now looked like someone who had picked up discarded clothes from a donation bin.

“If possible, you should dirty your face a bit too. You still look too much like a well-off kid…”

“…?”

Jin Yeseo, mid-sentence, looked at the boy standing in front of her with a puzzled expression.

“…Never mind. This should be good enough.”

“…?”

After a brief pause, the boy turned around and dusted off his hands as if nothing had happened.

Jin Yeseo, sensing a strange melancholy from him, tilted her head slightly in confusion.

***

The northern part of the capital. In the middle of a slum where even streetcars didn’t run.

“Ugh…”

Jin Yeseo’s face twisted in disgust at the stench rising from the sewers that ran through the streets.

Even I could feel the overwhelming foulness, so for her, it must have been unbearable.

As the darkness deepened, the streetlights flickered to life, though most were broken and didn’t work.

We continued through the narrow alleyways, weaving between broken windows and rusted barrels.

We occasionally encountered residents, but none paid us much attention.

Perhaps our disguise was good, or maybe they were just too busy surviving to care about others…

After walking for quite some time, we finally arrived at the address Yeon Minha had given us for the orphanage.

“Huh?”

But what greeted us was an overgrown vacant lot and the ruins of a half-burned building.

“Hey. Weren’t we coming to meet a witness? But this place…”

Jin Yeseo asked, her face filled with doubt.

“B14-132. This is the right place.”

I looked around to confirm the address. There was no way Yeon Minha would have given me the wrong information. She was nearly perfect when it came to these things.

“And…”

I examined the scorched exterior of the building.

Above what seemed to be the entrance, a sign hung precariously, creaking with every gust of wind. I could make out the faded letters on it.

-The House of Sisters

It was indeed the place Yeon Minha had mentioned. One of the orphanages supported by Jeokhwa.

“…”

But why was it in such a state?

It didn’t seem like we’d be able to find any nuns or anyone else here.

“We should probably head back. What could we possibly… Hey, hey! Don’t just go barging in…!”

“Wait here. If anything happens, signal me immediately.”

After a moment of hesitation, I opened the creaky door and stepped inside.

Jin Yeseo, sounding anxious, tried to stop me, but I couldn’t just leave without gaining anything.

Thanks to the moonlight streaming through the broken ceiling, it wasn’t too difficult to search the place.

A teddy bear with a torn neck and button eyes dangling loosely, a small sketchbook filled with colorful drawings, and old clothes that seemed to belong to children.

These were the remnants of life that once existed in this ruin.

“…”

I continued walking deeper into the building. More and more clues came into view.

Moldy wallpaper sagging from the walls, cobwebs, and dark stains on the walls that looked disturbingly like blood splatters.

It felt as if some great catastrophe had swept through here.

Before I knew it, I had reached a small room in the corner.

Something on a broken display cabinet caught my eye.

“This is…”

I approached and picked it up.

It was a photograph, slightly singed but mostly intact.

In the photo, about a dozen children were smiling brightly.

And standing among them was a lone adult woman.

She appeared to be in her twenties, with a graceful appearance and dressed in what seemed to be religious attire.

Could this woman be the nun I was looking for?

The one who had been helping to alleviate Yeon Jeongmun’s mental corruption by visiting Jeokhwa, and perhaps someone involved with the Heaven’s Door cult that Jin Yeseo had mentioned…

“…”

As I stared at her radiant smile, which was no different from that of the children, I felt a strange unease.

You can’t judge a person by their appearance alone, but based on the expression in the photo, she didn’t seem like a villain.

Of course, it was all speculation until I met her in person… but given the current situation, I didn’t even know if she was still alive, let alone where she might be.

What should I do now?

-Who… Who do you think you are, wandering around here…!

-…!

Just as I was lost in thought, a commotion erupted outside.

I immediately rushed to the outer part of the ruined building.

There, I saw Jin Yeseo arguing with an old woman holding a cane.

“Get lost! You filthy scum! Are you here to steal something again? Did your boss tell you to kidnap more children?!”

The old woman, with her frail arms, was waving her cane furiously at Jin Yeseo.

“How dare you treat me like this… Hiyaah…!”

I quickly grabbed Jin Yeseo by the back of her neck, pulling her away just as she was about to lash out in anger. She let out a startled yelp at the sudden sensation.

Why did the image of Choi Woojin, diligently reading newspapers to understand the lives of the common folk, suddenly come to mind?

I was starting to understand why the Cradle encouraged young mages to take on external missions…

“Judging by that weird mask on your face, you must be the leader! You wretched scum, may lightning strike you down…!”

Ignoring Jin Yeseo’s glare, I stepped forward. The old woman, seeing my gas mask, grew even more agitated, as if she was about to foam at the mouth.

“Please calm down, ma’am.”

“I won’t let you take any more children! You’ll have to take me instead… Huh?”

As I bowed politely, the old woman looked confused.

Not missing the opportunity, I pulled out a pre-prepared ID and showed it to her.

“I’m an officer from the Security Bureau. We’re here for an investigation.”

As I calmly presented the fake ID, Jin Yeseo shot me a look of disbelief.

The old woman’s anger subsided, though she still looked at me and the ID with suspicion.

“An officer, you say…? But your outfit doesn’t seem right…”

“Here, take a look.”

I raised my arm and activated a magic formula, creating a small ball of white light.

I showed it to the old woman.

“At least you’re not some black mage scum.”

The old woman finally seemed to relax.

There’s no better way to verify your identity than by demonstrating magic. Black magic, due to its demonic nature, always reveals red pupils and a similarly colored magic formula.

“I thought you were one of those damned thieves, coming to steal again. Poking around here at this hour…”

“Why would I look like a black mage…?”

Jin Yeseo grumbled, still annoyed.

“Please understand. This neighborhood has become so dangerous. These days, it’s the pretty girls who are more suspicious. That ‘Bathory’ who was executed last year was a crazy black mage who bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain her beauty…”

“So why do I have to be treated like a black mage…!”

“I’m glad you’ve calmed down. I’d like to ask you a few questions. Is this the orphanage known as ‘The House of Sisters’?”

I pulled Jin Yeseo back again and stepped forward.

“Yes, it was. But as you can see now…”

The old woman glanced at the ruins with a sorrowful expression.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“Well…”

The old woman seemed reluctant.

“Shouldn’t an officer like you know better than me what happened here?”

“We’re not from the local branch. We’ve been dispatched from the central office to re-investigate.”

“The central office, huh… So there’s still something left to investigate…? It’s been two years already…”

“That’s correct. We’d appreciate your cooperation.”

After some persuasion, the old woman finally began to speak.

“You’re quite persistent, making an old lady recall such things.”

Her hands trembled slightly as if she was remembering something unpleasant.

“It was two years ago. I was out for my usual evening walk. I thought I’d stop by the orphanage to give the kids some candy. They were such polite and sweet children. But just as I reached this spot… I saw something strange.”

The old woman gestured toward the hill leading up to the orphanage.

“Something strange?”

“Yes. At first, I thought a pack of wild dogs was tearing apart some prey. It wasn’t an uncommon sight in this neighborhood, so I didn’t pay much attention. But when I looked closer… each piece of meat had two hands and feet attached to it.”

“…”

“That’s when I realized. The dogs weren’t tearing apart an animal; they were eating human corpses. But the more horrifying part…”

“What was it?”

“The ones eating the corpses weren’t wild dogs… They were the children from the orphanage.”

The old woman closed her eyes tightly.

“My legs gave out, and I fell down. The noise must have alerted them because they turned to look at me. I knew them all. Just the day before, they had been following me around, calling me ‘Grandma~’. But now, they were staring at me with slit pupils, like I was a piece of meat. They had been eating their friend’s flesh.”

“…”

“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. Their backs were torn open, with long tentacles wriggling out. They were crawling on all fours, their spines bent backward, and their mouths were ripped open, with three tongues hanging out… Ugh.”

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I can handle it. Anyway…”

The old woman staggered slightly.

I moved to support her, but she waved me off, using her cane to steady herself.

“I don’t even know how I managed to get home. I locked the door and spent the whole night trembling in fear. The next morning, when I finally came out… this place was in ruins.”

She glanced at the orphanage’s remains with a sorrowful gaze.

“Later on, the district chief came and explained the situation. He said there had been internal contamination at the orphanage. The children had mutated because of it, and the purification unit had come and killed them all. Then, to prevent the contamination from spreading, they burned the entire orphanage down.”

“…”

“The heavens are truly indifferent. They leave the wicked untouched, but why did such good children have to suffer like that… I hope the Sister went to a better place…”

As I listened to her story, one word caught my attention.

I pulled out the photo I had taken from the ruins and showed it to the old woman.

“Is this the Sister you’re talking about?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

The old woman nodded.

“She was a truly wonderful person. Even though she was much younger than me, I couldn’t help but bow my head and call her ‘Sister~’. In a world where it’s hard enough to survive yourself, who else would take in and raise orphaned children?”

“What happened to her?”

“I don’t know. She probably died.”

The old woman shook her head.

“How could she have survived such a disaster? She wasn’t the type to abandon the children and run away. She must have… She must have…”

The old woman trailed off, as if she couldn’t bring herself to say what she was thinking—that the Sister had likely been devoured by the mutated children.

“I see. That’s all I needed to hear. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“I’m glad I could help. Talking about the past has made me tired. You should head back soon too, Officer. This neighborhood is dangerous at night.”

The old woman nodded and slowly hobbled away with her cane.

Jin Yeseo, who had been silently listening to the story, approached me.

“…An officer, huh?”

“I had it prepared in advance. It’s better than revealing our status as Cradle students all the time.”

“You could’ve told me…”

Jin Yeseo grumbled with a hint of dissatisfaction. I hadn’t expected to use it so suddenly either.

“So, what’s the plan now? That Sister in the photo is the witness you were looking for, right? But it seems like she’s already dead.”

My head was pounding.

The old woman’s story wasn’t much different from the usual cases of mutation outbreaks.

If what she said was true, the Sister couldn’t have survived the hell that unfolded here. Or rather, she wouldn’t have chosen to escape.

Even the drunkard captain back in my hometown had fulfilled his duty before dying.

But the fact that the timing of the orphanage’s destruction coincided with the period when the Sister was visiting Jeokhwa still bothered me.

There’s still plenty of time left to complete the assignment. I don’t feel like giving up just yet.

Not to mention, Yeon Minha’s task and the widow’s plea for justice were still unresolved.

After some thought, I spoke.

“…I need to go to the First City.”

“Why there all of a sudden…?”

Jin Yeseo asked, looking bewildered.

I pulled out the inverted cross emblem I had received from the widow and showed it to her again.

“Why are you showing me this now?”

“The dead man brought this item from the First City. I need to check it out myself.”

“What…?”

“If we hurry, we can just make it before the last transport leaves.”

I checked my watch and turned to Jin Yeseo.

“What about you? If you want to go back, go ahead. I won’t force you to come along.”

“Haa…”

Jin Yeseo let out a deep sigh, filled with resignation.

She was silent for a while.

“…I don’t know anymore.”

After a long pause, she finally spoke again.

“I’m the one who said I’d help. So I’ll see it through to the end. I don’t like leaving things unfinished.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Enough. Just keep your promise.”

Jin Yeseo glared at me with a mix of frustration and annoyance.

“You… When we get back, you better train with me properly.”

End of Chapter